Item number: A3882

Year: 48 BC – AD 5

Material: Bronze

Size: 25.2 x 25.2 x 0.7 mm

Weight: 2.85 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This coin is believed to be a Wu Zhu (Five Zhu) coin from the late Western Han period, likely minted between the first year of the Chuyuan reign of Emperor Yuan of Han (48 BC) and the fifth year of the Yuanshi reign of Emperor Ping of Han (AD 5).

On the obverse, the coin has an outer rim. The inner border is incomplete, being indicated only by a single horizontal line above the square central hole. The inscription reads “五銖” (wuzhu) in seal script, to be read from right to left. The character wu (五) is executed with curved strokes: the ends of the vertical stroke flare slightly outwards, the crossing point is somewhat flattened, and the overall form resembles a projectile. In zhu (銖), the “zhu” component (朱) is shorter than the “metal” radical (金); within (朱), the initial stroke is short with an angular turn, while the terminal stroke is long and obliquely folded. The head of the “metal” radical (金) appears to be slightly shifted to the right. The reverse bears both an outer rim and a complete inner border. The outlines of the characters are blurred and the component strokes are distorted and slanting, which may indicate a privately cast imitation. Comparable coins have been excavated in Ye County, Yiyang, Luoning, Xingyang, Jia County, Yichuan, and Xinzheng in Henan Province.

The Wuzhu coin was first issued in the fifth year of the Yuanshou reign of Emperor Wu (118 BC), and at that time, it was cast both by the central court and by local kingdoms and commanderies. Consequently, private and unregulated minting became widespread. In the fourth year of the Yuanding reign (113 BC), Emperor Wu centralised minting authority within the Three Offices of Shanglin Garden, standardising the coinage under the name “San Guan Wuzhu coin” (“Three Offices Wuzhu”). All other forms of coinage were abolished, and only the San Guan coinage was permitted in circulation. From the fourth year of Yuanding (113 BC) to the fifth year of Yuanshi (AD 5), successive emperors continued to implement this system with only minor modifications to the coin moulds. In total, the San Guan Wuzhu coin remained in official circulation for 123 years.

The period from Emperor Yuan to Emperor Ping of Han (48 BC to AD 6) marked a critical phase in the late Western Han dynasty, during which political conditions gradually deteriorated. Eunuchs and consort clans competed for influence, exacerbating social tensions. Emperor Yuan, personal name Liu Shi, was the son of Emperor Xuan. He upheld Confucian principles, promoted frugality and benevolent governance, reduced punishments, and sought to reform the bureaucracy. However, his indecisive nature led to weak administration, while eunuchs and members of the imperial consort clans gained increasing power, resulting in the steady decline of central authority. Upon Emperor Yuan’s death, his son Liu Ao ascended the throne as Emperor Cheng. He became engrossed in palace affairs and showed little interest in governance. The Wang family, his maternal relatives, rose to dominance, with figures such as Wang Feng, Wang Yin, and Wang Gen controlling the court. Although officials like Wang Shang and Di Fangjin attempted to enact reforms, they were ultimately unsuccessful in reversing the decline. As Emperor Cheng died without an heir, he appointed his nephew Liu Xin as crown prince. Liu Xin ascended the throne as Emperor Ai. During his reign, he sought to reduce the power of the consort clans and employed Wang Mang to counterbalance other factions. Emperor Ai was intelligent and talented, and initiated certain reforms aimed at reducing taxes and penalties. However, he died young at the age of twenty-five, leaving no successor. Wang Mang assumed the role of regent. Emperor Ping, a cousin of Emperor Ai, ascended the throne as a child, with Wang Mang acting as regent. Under the pretext of revering Confucianism and advancing reforms, Wang Mang gradually consolidated power and came to dominate the court. Upon Emperor Ping’s death, Wang Mang installed a child emperor and declared himself Acting Emperor, thereby laying the foundation for his eventual usurpation and the establishment of the Xin dynasty. Although the Western Han dynasty nominally persisted during this time, it had, in practice, fallen under Wang Mang’s autocratic control.

物件編號: A3882

年代: 公元前 48 年 – 公元 5 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 25.2 x 25.2 x 0.7 mm

重量: 2.85 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

此錢應為西漢晚期五銖，可能於西漢元帝初元元年(公元前48年)至平帝元始五年(公元5年)間鑄行。

錢幣正面有外輪，內廓僅方穿上方有一橫，錢文為「五銖」篆書，由右向左順讀。「五」字曲筆，豎劃之兩端向外微張，交筆處微平，似砲彈形。「銖」之「朱」旁短於「金」旁；「朱」旁首短而方折，尾長而斜折。「金」旁字首似向右稍微平移。錢幣背面外輪內廓俱全。文字輪廓漫漶，部件筆劃歪斜，或為私鑄。類似的錢幣於河南葉縣、宜陽、洛寧、滎陽、郟縣、伊川、新鄭等地均有出土。

五銖錢初行於漢武帝元狩五年(公元前118年)，由朝廷與各郡國分鑄，於是私鑄、濫鑄禁之不絕。元鼎四年(公元前113年)，漢武帝專鑄幣權於上林苑三官，統一形制，稱「三官五銖錢」，令天下廢此前諸錢，非三官錢不得行。自元鼎四年至元始五年(公元5年)，諸帝持續行用，僅稍作更換版模，三官五銖錢共鑄行一百二十三年。

漢元帝至漢平帝期間(西元前48年至西元6年)，為西漢晚期的重要階段，政局漸趨衰微，宦官與外戚勢力交錯，社會矛盾加劇。漢元帝，名劉奭，為漢宣帝之子。他崇尚儒術，採納儒家政策，提倡節儉與仁政，減輕刑罰，並致力於整頓政治。然而，他性格優柔寡斷，導致政事乏力，加上宦官與外戚漸趨得勢，政治逐漸敗壞。元帝死後，由其子漢成帝繼位。成帝沉溺於宮廷生活，對政事漠不關心，外戚王氏家族權勢日益壯大，尤其是王鳳、王音、王根等人掌握朝政。此期間雖曾有王商、翟方進等人力圖改革，但皆無法扭轉頹勢。成帝無子，最終立侄子劉欣為太子。後即位為漢哀帝，其在位期間曾試圖削弱外戚權力，重用王莽以制衡其他勢力。哀帝聰慧有才，曾推行一些改革措施，減輕賦稅與刑罰，然病逝時年僅二十五歲，無子嗣，由王莽輔政。漢平帝為漢哀帝堂弟，年幼即位，由王莽攝政。王莽以尊崇儒學與推行改革為名，逐漸掌握大權，控制朝政。平帝病逝後，王莽進一步擁立幼帝，自封為攝皇帝，為日後篡位建立新朝奠定基礎。此一時期，西漢王朝雖名義上尚存，實則已淪為王莽專政之局。